The present invention relates to printed circuit board connectors, and more particularly relates to an improved edge design of the edge of the printed circuit board for use with printed circuit board connectors.
Printed circuit board connectors are known in which spring members urge electrical contact members into electrical connection with input/output means such as gold tabs on the printed circuit board as the edge of the printed circuit board is inserted into the connector. The edge of the printed circuit board is typically beveled to push the spring loaded electrical contact member into a contacting position as the edge of the printed circuit board moves past the electrical contact member. The beveling of the edge of the printed circuit board exposes the ends of glass fibers in the substrate of the printed circuit board such that as the beveled edge of the printed circuit board pushes past the spring loaded electrical contact member, the ends of the glass fibers damage the electrical contact member. As the damaged electrical contact member then moves over the gold tabs of the printed circuit board, it in turn damages the gold tabs. This damage severely limits the number of times which a printed circuit board may be plugged into a printed circuit board connector before failure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,492 issued April 20, 1976 to Braund for "Trapped Bow Contact and Connector Using the Same" discloses a printed circuit board connector in which the leading edge of the printed circuit board bows a contact to make an electrical connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,857 issued June 12, 1979 to Sabo for "Edge Connector for Printed Circuit Boards" discloses a printed circuit board connector in which electrical connection is made with a gold contact on the edge of the printed circuit board as it is inserted into the connector. The connector is designed to minimize wear as the board is forced into the connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,448 issued Sept. 9, 1980 to Logerot et al. for "Connector for Printed Circuit Boards" discloses a connector having a resilient contact which is designed to make electrical contact with a conductor pad on the side of a printed circuit board as the printed circuit board is inserted into the connector. The edge of the printed circuit board is designed to co-act with the resilient contact such that a bulge on the resilient contact applies increasing lateral force against the conductor pad as the board continues to be inserted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,604 issued Feb. 25, 1986 to Ammon et al. for "Printed Circuit Board Finger Connector" discloses an electrical connector for the terminating edge of a printed circuit board which, when connected to the terminating edge of the printed circuit board, engages bowed portions of contact fingers in a card edge connector. The leading edge of the electrical connector, when connected to the printed circuit board, includes a bevel for guiding the connector into the card slot of a conventional printed circuit board card edge connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,193 issued Sept. 23, 1986 to Beers for "Board-Operated Electrical Connector for Printed Circuit Boards" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,210 issued Jan. 6, 1987 to Crawford for "Electrical Connectors" each discloses another printed circuit board connector in which the leading edge of the printed circuit board activates an activating mechanism to move contacts into electrical connection with conductor pads on the sides of the printed circuit board as the printed circuit board is inserted into the connector.